


Eggplant and Tomato Casserole

by TheTacticianAlchemist



Series: Reunion [3]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V
Genre: Counterpartshipping Week 2018, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-20
Updated: 2018-08-27
Packaged: 2019-06-30 02:22:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 3,930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15742185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheTacticianAlchemist/pseuds/TheTacticianAlchemist
Summary: Collection of prompts for Counterpartshipping Week.[Listed as being in the Reunion series because.... let's face it, a lot of the drabbles are based on that au.]





	1. Capes

**Author's Note:**

> some of these are aus some of them are canon. this first one is a childhood au.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> childhood au

Little Yuto rubs at the sweat on his forehead with the back of his head. It’s so hot, even in the shadow of the woods. It doesn’t seem to both his friends, especially Yuya and Yugo, who lead the way to their secret base with wild cheers, waving their sticks in the air. Yuri follows more slowly, braving the bugs to kneel beside plants to inspect them.

Panting a little, Yuto hurries to catch up to the front, but he’s still slower than the rest (Yuri’s actually the fastest when he isn’t dawdling, and Yugo’s always upset about that). The trail curves, becoming steeper on the side, the ground dropping off in a slope toward the shallow, shady river below. Yuto stops to catch his breath and admire the way the water sparkles in what light filtering through the trees.

“Hey, Yuto!” Yuya comes hurrying back down the trail, leaving Yugo at the top by the old shack they’ve claimed as their base. It seems like Yuya’s already been inside, because now he’s wearing a long, ratty towel tied around his neck like a cape, as if he were a superhero.

“You doing okay?” he asks worriedly, stopping a foot away. “Do you want to rest?”

Yuto shakes his head. He doesn’t want to let his friend down. Not Yuya… Yuri and Yugo could be teasing and mean sometimes, but Yuya’s jokes always make Yuto laugh. He can’t stand needing help or anything of the sort when Yuya’s around. Yuya’s always helping me smile. Yuto couldn’t bear it if he ever seemed weak to him….

“No, I’m fine, we’re almost there,” he says, taking a step forward—

—and then his ankle rolls on a rock, and he falls to the side.

He screams, tumbling down the hillside. Brush and branches and leaves scrape his skin, rocks hitting his elbows and knees, hurting like hell. He splashes into the water, luckily not in an area deep enough to submerge in. Still, he groans as he looks up into the leaves-blocked sky.

“Yuto! Yuto!”

He turns his head weakly, watching as Yuya hurries down the hillside, his makeshift cape fluttering behind him.

“Be careful,” Yuto warns, but it only comes out as a weak groan.

Yuya calls back to Yuri and Yugo, but doesn’t hesitate to come alone into the river, the water soaking his sneakers as he steps in up to his ankles. He reaches out a hand, and Yuto nearly misses it as he goes to grab it. Yuya helps him sit up, then brings him over a food or so to the dry bank.

“Yuto, are you hurt?” Yuya asks, his ruby eyes wet and red-rimmed.

Yuto wants to say no, but he moves a bit, and he grimaces. “My leg hurts…”

“Okay, it’ll be okay,” Yuya says. He hesitates, then takes off his towel, draping it around Yuto’s shoulders and using the ends to dry off his arms and some of his shirt.

Yuto blinks, surprised. And then… his throat closes up, and his eyes start to sting, watering up. “Yuya, I’m—I’m sorry…!”

“I-it’s okay!” Yuya says, and he uses the towel to wipe off Yuto’s face. “Trust me!” he adds with a big grin. “You’ll be just fine. I’m—I’m here, see? I’m a hero. I gave you my cape.” He winked. “I’ll get you out of here with my trusty sidekicks.”

Yuto sniffs, biting his bottom lip.

Yuya leans in close. “Shh. Don’t tell them they’re my sidekicks. They’ll get super jealous.”

At that, Yuto finally manages a smile. “Okay,” he says. “I promise.”

Yuya grins at that. “Okay, good.”

Yuto wipes off a bit more of the water from his body, then holds the wet, ratty towel back toward Yuya. “Here…”

Yuya blinks. Then, he shakes his head, pushing Yuto’s hand back.

“Keep my cape,” Yuya says, puffing out his chest and winking. “You can be my hero next time.”


	2. AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is from the Reunion au you can find on my profile. credit for the ideas as always goes to @blue-needle, also here you go blue, have a nice gift~

Yuya sighs in relief, collapsing onto the bed face-first. He buries his face in the pillow and wraps his arms around it.

Yuto lifts an eyebrow. He’s already in his pajamas, his hair a bit wet from the bath. He reaches out and pats Yuya’s head. “You know, typically you get _under_ the blankets when you go to bed.”

Yuya turns his head to him, grinning. “That sounds like an excuse to get me _in_ bed.” He wiggles his eyebrows.

Yuto blushes heavily. He shifts. “Well, yes, that’s always… really nice with you, but that’s not what I meant.”

Yuya giggles, rising up on his hands and knees to kiss the end of Yuto’s nose. “I know,” he sighs, getting up and putting on his pajamas before properly crawling under the sheets and cuddling up next to Yuto. “I’m too tired to do much, anyway. All that moving we did today… Plus,” he adds, reaching over Yuto’s lap for the duel disk on his bedside table. “We’re still catching up.”

Yuto laughs, planting a kiss on Yuya’s forehead. “You’re right about that…. It’ll take months or more before we can read through every letter…. Hey, where’s your duel disk?”

“Oops.” Yuya leans over the edge of the bed to pull it from his pile of discarded clothes. “I don’t usually put it on the floor like this, I swear…”

“Stop being so sloppy. I can’t clean up all your messes,” Yuto teases as Yuya hands him the red duel disk. “Didn’t you say you were going to do your fair share when you moved in here?”

“Yuto…!” Yuya whines. He presses back up against Yuto’s side and pouts. “It’s been a long day…. I’ll make it up to you in the morning, I promise….”

Yuto chuckles and wraps his arms around Yuya’s shoulders. “Okay, that sounds like a good deal.”

With his free hand, Yuto unlocks Yuya’s duel disk while Yuya does the same with Yuto’s. They both go into the memo functions and, after double-checking that they’re both at the same date, they start fresh on reading each other’s letters.

Yuto smiles a little, rubbing his thumb against Yuya’s shoulder. “In this one, you’re complaining about Sora eating your pudding.”

Yuya scowls, though it’s (mostly) for show. “Little jerk moves back in again only to eat me out of house and home.” Still, he loves Sora like a brother, and he’s glad they got to live like a family after everything that had happened.

He snuggles up, somehow, even more against Yuto. “Your entries are all really short around here. You still wrote every day, though.”

“Mm, that was still during cleanup and rebuilding,” Yuto explains. “I didn’t have much time. But I still had to be sure that I wrote to you.”

“And here I am… _five years_ after this particular entry,” Yuya says, “loving every word you wrote to me…. Even the sad ones.” He turns around, planting a gentle kiss on Yuto’s lips.

Yuto smiles into the kiss. “I know… I feel exactly the same way. I’m… so happy that you shared so much with me through this.” He kisses Yuya’s forehead. “I love you.”

Yuya hums, nuzzling against him. “I love you, too…” He chuckles. “You’ve still—well, _we’ve_ —got a long way to go with these…”

He turns forward again, snuggling back into Yuto’s embrace. As they continue on for the next hour, day-by-day through the dates of the letters, they slide their fingers together, sharing a few more chuckles, but also somber solidarity. A lot of the letters are about them baring their souls to the other, a longing that never faded despite neither time nor distance. Whenever one is moved to ears, the other would kiss the back of his hand, snuggling closer and murmuring little _I love you_ s and _It’s okay now_ s.

As usual, Yuya finishes Yuto’s batch of letters first. They were mostly short at the time he was writing, anyway. He leans away, putting the purple duel disk on his bedside table and turning off his lamp.

“Yuya…” Suddenly, Yuto’s arm wraps around his waist, pulling him closer.

“W-what?” Yuya asks, slightly nervous at Yuto’s tone. He turns around just in time for Yuto to lay on his side and pull him against his chest. Carefully, Yuya peeks up at him, finding Yuto tutting in exasperation, his eyes narrowed in worry.

“You broke your arm?” he says with utmost displeasure.

Yuya gives a nervous grin, sweating. “That’s, uh, a funny story….”


	3. Snow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> canon compliant. I mean, minus the canon ships.

_“Yuya? Have you ever seen snow?”_

Yuya stops. He was in the middle of re-organizing his deck. It’s a rare time of day when both Yugo and Yuri were dormant in his mind, doing their version of sleeping. Yuto has been awake but silent, simply enjoying the quiet with Yuya. As much as Yuya loves his counterparts, he can’t help but feel the same relief Yuto does when Yuya’s body is… well, more at peace.

“What brings up that question?” Yuya asks. “But no, I’ve only ever seen solid-vision snow, not _real_ snow.”

He can sense Yuto shrugging. _“It’s just getting late in the year. It’s almost Christmas. It just… doesn’t snow in our part of Japan, is all.”_

Yuya can feel his heart constrict. “I have money saved up if you—”

 _“No,”_ Yuto says at once. _“Keep saving it. It isn’t a big deal or anything.”_

Yuya hesitates. Then he stands, moving into another room of the duel school.

_“Huh? Yuya?”_

“Hang on a second,” Yuya says, moving into one of the dueling arenas. He tries to block out Yuto for a moment as he fiddles with the controls. He’s just grateful that it’s an off-day and there aren’t any students around.

He sets the action field to start, and then he lets Yuto back in, closing his eyes. “Take a turn, Yuto. Go ahead.”

Yuto hesitates. _“What are you up to, Yuya?”_

Yuya just smiles, even if it’s a small one. “I know it’s not much, but… please.”

Yuto hesitates again, but then slowly takes control of Yuya. Yuya lets out a breath, and then he’s only watching and feeling as Yuto blinks open their shared eyes.

Yuto’s mouth falls open a little, and he takes a step forward. They’re in the middle of a large, white field next to a frozen pond. Snow falls from the grey sky, settling on his head on shoulders. At the edge of the field stand large fir trees, frosted white and sparkling.

“Wow,” Yuto whispers, and his breath mists in the air.

Yuya smiles. _“It’s ‘Winter Wonderland.’ We can just walk around for a bit if you want.”_

“Sure,” Yuto says, taking slow steps forward. His shoes crunch in the snow, and he can already feel the cold coming through his soles, but he doesn’t mind a bit. A smile breaks out on his face, and he watches the snow fall as he walks along.

 _“…Is it okay?”_ Yuya can’t help but ask. _“I know it’s not_ actual _snow…”_

Yuto just smiles. “It’s perfect, Yuya. Thank you.”

Yuya falls quiet, letting Yuto enjoy the time he has to… well, himself.

Yuto shivers, rubbing his arms, but he doesn’t stop smiling as he looks up at the snow falling. He holds out his hands, watching as the flakes quickly pile up on his skin, eventually hiding the lines on them. He laughs a little and drops the snow, wiping his hands on his pants.

He grins, turning back around, wondering if there’s enough time to make a snowman—

—but then, he stops.

His tracks are already being covered up by the falling snow.

Yuya tenses. _“Yuto? Is something wrong?”_

It takes Yuto a moment to tear his gaze away from the snowfall. “…No. No, Yuya. I’m just tired.” He smiles weakly. “Why don’t you take control again and I’ll go get some rest?”

Yuya hesitates, unsure of what to say, but already, Yuto’s grip on the control of their shared body is weakening. Yuya hurries to regain control, blinking in a daze as he comes back into the moment.

“Yuto?” he asks, but Yuto has already quieted, becoming dormant.

Yuya looks around, unsure of what he should do. His faze falls on the ground, but there are no tracks around him. Yuto’s have been erased.


	4. Hugs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> specifically Reunion au, but can be read regardless.

The bed is cold. Yuto isn't one to disturb the other side of the covers, especially when no one's there to snuggle up against. So when he wakes up in the morning, the other pillow is plump and unruffled, the sheets mostly untouched.

He sighs and rolls over toward his nightstand, picking up his duel disk and sending a message even though he knows it won't go through.

He gets up and goes to the kitchen cabinet, his hand pausing for a moment over Yuya's mug before he grabs his own. Somehow Yuto's morning coffee tastes more bitter than usual.

The morning is honestly rather dull. Yuto still has more plans to work on for the Heartland restoration project, and he usually pours all of his soul into it, but at work he just… has trouble pulling himself through it.

Shun and Ruri drag him out to lunch, and he smiles and laughs with them, enjoying himself, but when he returns to work… he sighs, unable to really find the pleasure in it.

He returns home and makes dinner, unintentionally making more than just one serving. He bites his lip and covers up the leftovers, putting them in the fridge.

 _I shouldn’t be this lonely_ , he can’t help but think, but he is.

Yuto showers and goes to bed early, not really seeing the point of staying up. Tomorrow’s another work day, after all.

* * *

In the middle of the night, his duel disk buzzes, startling him awake. He’s never been a deep sleeper after the war, after all.

 Still, even though he’s alert, his eyes are a bit bleary and he can’t quite make out the screen as he takes the call. “Yes?”

_“Yuto, I’m so sorry. I was going to surprise you, but I think I lost the key.”_

Yuto sits bolt upright. “Yuya?!” he blurts. He almost gets tangled up in the sheets as he hurries to his feet.

He can hear laughter at the other end of the line. _“Yes. Be careful, don’t wake up the neighbors.”_

Yuto doesn’t give a damn about the _neighbors_ right now. He runs through the apartment to the door, unlocking it and throwing it open. Illuminated by the moonlight, Yuya stands with his hand raised in hello, a grin on his lips.

“Yuya,” Yuto gasps, throwing his arms around his boyfriend and hugging him close, burying his face against his neck. “I missed you…”

Yuya kisses his cheek, returning the hug and rubbing his back. “I was only gone to Pendulum for a few days,” he teases, but he gives him another kiss and his voice becomes softer. “I missed you, too. I was going to wait until tomorrow, but things at the Duel School got done early and… I couldn’t help myself.”

Yuto squeezes him tight, then pulled back an inch to kiss Yuya’s lips. “I’m glad for the surprise.”

Yuya giggles. “So glad that you’re out on the walkway in your boxers?”

Yuto flushes immediately and looks up and down the walkway, but none of their neighbors are up at this time of night. He tugs Yuya back into the apartment, Yuya trying to stifle his laughter the whole time.


	5. Reflection

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm assuming most people are doing sad things so I decided Happy

The steam in the bath fogs up the mirror. Yuya leans over in the tub to wipe his hand over it, clearing it to reveal himself and Yuto just behind him.

Yuto blushes a bit at the sight of himself. “Yuya, what are you doing?”

Yuya grins, leaning back against his boyfriend. “I thought it would be fun,” he teases, scooping up some bubbles. “Like this,” he says, spreading them on his face and forming a beard. He makes a few funny faces in the mirror, and he can see Yuto cracking a grin.

He turns around and scoops up some more bubbles, plastering them on Yuto’s cheeks.

Yuto stiffens in surprise. “Yuya?”

Yuya giggles and continues with his “finger-painting.” “Come on. You look even cuter like this, somehow.”

“N-no, I’m not…” Yuto blushes and it somehow shows through the bubbles on his cheeks. “Not as cute as you…”

“Aww, you’re too sweet,” Yuya gushes. He reaches for the conditioner and lathers it up in his hands. He runs it through Yuto’s hair, using it to bend and weigh it down. It’s a difficult process, since Yuto’s hair just naturally sticks out in all directions even when wet. He manages through some magic to get it _sort of_ flat.

“Ta-da!” Yuya sings, motioning toward the mirror so that Yuto can see his reflection. Yuto shifts, feeling awkward as he sees his hair pushed down in two waves, parted in the middle of his head.

“That’s… interesting,” Yuto says at last, and Yuya laughs.

“You can say it’s bad. I don’t mind,” Yuya says, snuggling up against him. “I’m not exactly a hairdresser, after all.”

Yuto hesitates. “You don’t mind?”

Yuya grins. “Not at all.”

“Then… it’s awful. It’s absolutely the worst hairstyle I’ve ever had,” Yuto says, laughing, and Yuya snorts, ridiculously amused as he reaches out to muss up Yuto’s hair for him.


	6. Audience

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a little late, whoops

Yuya checks his duel disk for the time, and he grimaces. If he doesn’t hurry, he’ll be late for his performance duel with Yuzu, and he doesn’t want to be on the receiving end of her fan….

He turns the corner and smacks right into someone.

“Ouch!” he cries out, falling backward—and then a strong arm reaches around his waist, holding him up, a hand on his shoulder keeping him steady. He goes still, startled, and blinks, his gaze focusing on a pair of pearl-grey eyes.

“I’m sorry, I should’ve been watching where I was going,” the young man says. “Are you okay?”

Yuya blinks at him again. His face is… really close….

The boy’s eyes widen in alarm. “You’re—you’re Yuya, right? Are you okay?”

Hurriedly, Yuya nods. “Yeah—yeah, um… just, it’s just my forehead,” he says. He wonders how this… really pretty guy knows his name. God, his dark purple hair is all over the place, but somehow it’s so… perfect. And his arms are so strong but so gentle….

And he can’t get over how incredible his eyes are….

It occurs to him too late that he knows Yuya’s name because his match is next.

He stands up straight, flustered. “S-sorry, I have to run….”

The boy lets go of him, arms whipping to his sides. “R-right, you’re next…”

“Thank you,” Yuya says, going to move past him—and then he stops and turns back. “Um…?”

The boy looks back at him, concern glittering in his eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“What’s… your name?” Yuya can’t help but ask.

The boy stares at him for a heartbeat. “Yuto. My name’s Yuto.”

“Yuto…” Somehow, it sounds nice on his lips. “Thank you, Yuto,” he says, grinning before he turns and hurries away.

()

“Ladies and gentlemen!” Yuya calls, throwing out his arms and bowing to the audience. “Who’s ready for another fun duel?”

The audience cheers, and Yuya bows again, winking. He can hear a few girls swoon, and not for the first time, it makes him a bit embarrassed. He wishes they wouldn’t do that….

He stands up straight, smiling, and looks out into the audience for a moment, searching….

And there’s Yuto. Their eyes meet.

Yuya’s heart starts to beat faster, and he finds himself hoping that he can give Yuto a good show.

He raises his arms again and calls, “ _The fun is about to begin!”_


	7. Horizon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> when was the last time I finished a ship week
> 
> Reunion au, by the way.

Yuto’s dozing. He can’t help himself. He’s been working so hard, that he can’t help but just nap in odd places. The park, cafes, his desk, even just benches on the side of the street. He tries to hide it, especially since he’d promised Shun and Ruri not to overwork himself, and on top of that, he doesn’t want to worry Yuya….

Yuya seems the most understanding, though. He lets Yuto nap in the more sane areas (random benches are a no-go, but it’s fine to lay in the grass at the park), and he’ll even run his fingers through Yuto’s hair to help him relax.

“Yuto?” Yuya asks him once Yuto’s woken up just a little bit. His head is lying in Yuya’s lap. This time they’re in a normal spot—the couch.

Yuto shifts a little, his vision a little hazy and his voice groggy. “What is is, Yuya?”

Yuya strokes his cheek. “You’re always so tired. Why are you working so hard? You’ve already done so much.”

Yuto blinks. “I… thought that was obvious? I’m helping rebuild Heartland….”

“I mean…” Yuya flusters a little. “Wow, I sounded dumb there…. I mean, you’re working yourself _too_ hard. I… don’t mind all the naps—you’re really cute when you nap—but I don’t want you to work yourself to the bone….”

“Ah…” Yuto goes a little red. “You have a point. I shouldn’t be. But… Okay, it’s actually… kind of embarrassing….”

Yuya giggles. “That’s fine. You can tell me anything, you know that.”

He sits up, then takes Yuya’s hand. “Come with me.”

Yuya grins and squeezes his hand. “Wherever you want.”

Yuya’s eagerness always makes Yuto blush. He leads Yuya through the living room, then the bedroom and out onto the balcony. It’s getting late; the sky is streaked with pinks and oranges. He points down to the park. “See that?”

Yuya grins. “Yes. Sakaki Park.” He blushes a little. “What about it?”

“You see that building?” Yuto points all the way toward the right, lifting his hand to show the outlying area of Heartland that has only recently been rebuilt.

“The orphanage.” Yuya squeezes his hand. “You know I’m so proud of you for that, right?”

Yuto smiles shyly. “You tell me all the time.”

Yuya kisses his cheek. “Well, of course I do. Because it’s true.”

“…Thank you,” Yuto murmurs, giving his cheek a kiss in return. “Well, the thing is… see out there?” He points to the grey in the far distance, on the edge of the horizon.

“The places that haven’t been rebuilt yet.”

Yuto nods. “Well… it’s not that I want _my_ parks and buildings all over everywhere, but… I want this city to look like it once was. No… better than it was. To stand up stronger than it ever was.”

He wraps his arms around Yuya’s waist, pulling him close. “This is a new part of that dream, but…” He feels the heat rising in his face. “You never got to see Heartland the way it _really_ was. I mean… you’ve seen solid vision of it, but that’s not the real thing.” He kisses Yuya’s forehead. “I don’t want to do it just for everyone, but also… for you, too.”

Yuya’s lips curl up, and he wraps his arms around Yuto’s shoulders. “I’m flattered, and quite touched,” he says, leaning against him and giving him a soft kiss. He runs his hand through the back of Yuto’s hair. “But the fact still stands that you’re working yourself too hard.”

“I know…” Yuto leans his forehead against Yuya’s. “You’re too good to me. If you were Ruri, you would’ve confined me to bed by now.”

Yuya giggles. “I’m this close to doing that, actually.”

Yuto smiles, and then, after a moment, Yuya’s smirk registers in his head, and he goes pink. “O-oh…”

Yuya laughs.


End file.
